Steering-gear for vehicles.



J. B. BARTHOLOMEW.

STEERING GEJAR FOR VEHICLES. APPLIOATION FILED por. 1o, 1907.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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Wi hwooeo J. B.BARTHOLOMEW.

STEERING GEAR POR VEHICLES.

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J. B. BARTHOLOMBW.

STEERING GEAR FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED 90110, 1907.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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witness@ 3' l gmx/VW J'. B. BARTHOLOMEW.

STEERING G BAR FOR. VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 10, 1907. i 1,095,260. Patented May 5, 1914.

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A20 attenua' UNITED' STAT-Es PATENTIoFFIcE.

JOHN B. BAnTHoLoMEW; or rnmii, ILLINos, Assioma, BY MnsNn ASSIGNMENTS,

TO AVERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

STERING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

specificationt ef Letters Patent. Patented May 5, '1914.

'abpliation' filed october 1o, 1907. serial No. 396,848.

' To all whom'z't may concern Be it -known that I, JOHN B. BARrHoLo- MEW, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SteeringfGear for Vehicles, ofwhich' the following is a specilication, reference being' had therein to the accompanying drawing. l A

This inventionrelates to traction engines .and more particularly to the steering gear of such engi es.

When hea y traction engines steered Joyf hand are ldriven over rough ground` the mus-v cular effort required by the engineer or operator is such as to render hisiwork extremely fatiguing. Under such conditions it is highly desirable that power-driven steeringgear'l may be used, th'us doing away with the most fatiguing part of the engineers-.work

.and enabling him to devote his'attention ing gear for tract-ion engines that is simplev in construction and reliable in operation.

A further objectis the provision of a power-driven. steering gear that may readily be converted to a hand-operated gear.

Further objects which I have had in mind will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illust-rate a practical embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings; Figurel is a side elevation of a traction enginev provided with the improved steering gear. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isa sectional elevation taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section of'apart of the steering gear. oFig. 5 is an end elevation of a portion ofthe gear shown in Fig. 4. Fig. -6 is. a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Mv improved steering gear is shown in'v the drawings' as applied to a traction engine ofthedouble-undermounted type such-as is shown in the patent to Springer No. 842,589, January 29, 1907. l

j To permit a clear showinglof the inven shown, l is the main frame, carried upon the drive-wheels 2-2 and the steering wheels 343. The frame 1 supports-the boiler 4, furnace 5, and the operators Acab 6, as indicated and as shown in detail) in the patent above referred to. Themain engines (not shown) are to be mounted on the main frame forward of t-he lfurnace and below the boiler.

An I-beam 7 projects forward .from the main frame so as to overhangthe axle8 4of the steering wheels, the axle being pivotally secured to the beam. A steering 'fork 9 is secured to' the axle 8 and projects rearward to receive the telesconing'rod'10.which is mounted in the forward end ofl a U-shaped frame 11. The frame^l1 is pivoted on a vertical axis to t-he nut 12 on the steering screw 13. tail-piece 14 which -is rigidly secured to the frame 11 has its free end slidably mounted in thedepending bracket 15. By the rotation of the screw 13 which is held against longitudinal movement, the nut 12 may -be moved to the right or left and the steering axle 8 swung on its pivot to determine the course of the machine.

On one end of the'screw 13 is mounted a spur-gear 16 which meshes with a second gear 17 which carries a bevel-pinion 18 mesh` ing in turn with the bevel pinion 19 mounted nected with the steering screw 13 and the y mechanism employed for hand-steering is Vlargely utilized as controlling means for the power devices.

22 is akspur-gear mounted on the .end of the screw opposite the gear 16. This gear meshes with and is driven by a pinion 23 mounted on the crank-shaft of an engine designated, as an entirety, by 24. 'This engineis rigidly secured to the mam frame work and as shown has two cylinders and is provided with a link cut-oi and reversing gear of the single-eccentric type.l A pipe 25 leading from the steam dome of the boiler,

' haust chamber at the front end of the boiler.

To secure-the control of the engine 24 by movement of the hand-wheel 21, the'latter is not mounted directly upon the shaft 20, but secured to a sleeve 27 which surrounds said shaft and carries at its lower or forward end a nut 28. This nut engages threads at 20 on the shaft 20 so that a rotary movement of the nut with respect to the shaft moves the former longitudinally.

Att its forward end the nut- 28 .is grooved to receive a strap 29 which is connected by means of links 30, 31 to the forked crank arm 32. The` arm 32 is mounted at one end of the shaft 33 which extends across the main frame and carries at its opposite end a seeond crank arm 34. 35 is a link connecting the end of arm 34 with a depending lever arm 36 pivotally mounted on thevframe of the engine 24. The links 37-37 of the valve gear are pivotally mounted in the manner indicated at 37a so as to be oscillated by the eccentric rods 3838. The valve connecting rods carry at. their lower ends blocks which slidably engage the slots of links 37-37 in the well-known manner. In ther` drawing only the connecting rod 39 of the outside cylinder is shown, but it will be understood that the valve gear construction is in duplicate. Links 40-'40 are pivotally connected at 36a and 36h, respectively, to the dependingv lever 36 and at their opposite ends these llinks are secured to the slidable blocksof the valve connecting-rods 39-39.

The operation of the mechanism when it is desired to steer the engine by power is as follows: The engineer by turning hand- Wheel 2l gives to the nut 28 a combined rotarygand longitudinal movement. The longitudinal travel of the nut 28 by means of the intermediate connections rocks the shaft 33 so as to swing the crank arm 34 and the connected lever 36. The movement of the lastnained lever by means of the connecting links'40-40 moves the sliding blocks of the valve-connecting rods from their neutral positions in the slots of the links 37-37, thus starting the engine 24. The rotation of the engine turns the gear wheel 22 and the steerilg screw 13, thus shifting the nut 12 and turning the axle 8 upon its pivot to change the'course of the machine. Inasmuch as the shaft 20 isl connected through the gearing 16, 17, 18 and 19 with the screw 13, therotation of the latter bythe engine turns the shaft 20 in a 'manner to restore the nut 28 to its normal position and the valve gear of the engine 24 to its corresponding neutral position, thus stopping the engine. It is clear that the angling movement given' to the steering wheels 3 in this manner is substantially proportional to the distance through which the hand-wheel is turned, for the engine, started by the first movement ofthe hand-wheel, will continue to run as long as the operator continues to turn the handwheel. l:But as soon as the hand-wheel is stopped the rotation of the steering screw 13 quickly restores the valve-gear to its neutral position and stops the engine. To turn the steering wheels 3 in the opposite direction the movement of the hand-wheel 21 is reversed, thus shifting the nut 28 in the opposite direction so as to reverse the engine 24j Thus it will be seen that my improved steering gear operates in such a manner that the steering of the engine is accomplished by movements of the hand-wheel precisely like the movements of the handwheel in the old manually-operated type of steering gear, butl that the operator is entirely relieved of the undue muscular exertion incident to the manually-operated gear.

As has been previously stated, my steering gear is so constructed that the engine may, if vdesir/ed, be steered directly by hand, and the construction is such that the change from power to hand-steering may readily be accomplished. For this purpose the upper rear end of the shaft 2O is squared to fit and freely slide within a sleeve 41 which sleeve fits within the upper end of sleeve 27 and the hub of the hand-wheel 21. The outer end of the sleeve 41 carries a clutch-wheel 42 provided on its inner face with a series of notches 42.

43 is a locking lever pivoted at 43 on the hub of hand-wheel 21 andyprovided with a finger 43 adaptedA to enter the notches 42. A pin 44 has one -of its ends pivotally connected at 43b to the lever 43 while its outer end passes through a slotted lug 21 carried by the rim of wheel 21. A spring 44 is mounted upon this pin between a stationary Hange 44a and movable flange 44". It will be seen that the lever-arm 43 and the pin 44 constitute a toggle lever device adapted to be held in either of its extreme positions by the spring 44.

When the engine is to be steered by power the locking lever is in the position shown in` Fig. 4, the hand-wheel then being disconnected from the` clutch wheel I42 and the shaft 20. When, however it is desired to steer by hand the toggle-lever clutch is thrown forward to its other extreme position with the finger 43a in engagement with one of the notches 42', thus locking the hand-wheel to the clutch-wheel 42 so that rotary movement of said handwhee1 turns the nut 28 and the shaft 20 simultaneously, thus giving no movement to the engine valve gear while the rotation ofthe shaft 20 in either direction turns the steering wheels 3 as desired bythe operator.

I prefer that the engine 24 be disconnected from the steering screw 13 when the steering .is to be done by hand and any suitable gear 22 in position. -'I`he pin 45 is normally in position to lock gear 22 to the screwshaft 13 but may be removed to .allow said gear to turn freely' on the screw shaft.

What'I-'claim is: 1. In a dirigible vehicle, the combination of the steering axle," angling mechanism therefor, a power driving means, controlling mechanism for said driving means, a manual driving means, each of said driving means being adapted to operate the angling mechanism, means for operating the said controlling mehanism, operative -connections between the last named operating means and the -manual driving means, a common operating handle fory the said operating means and the manual driving means, said handlebeing permanently connected with the means for opera-ting the said controlling mechanism, and a spring-pressed toggle lever forming a readily separable connection bei-r tween the operating ha-ndle and the manual driving means.

2. In a dirigible vehicle, the combination of the .steering axle, langling lmechanism '-therefor, a motor adapted todrive the angling mechanism, a manual driving means for the angling mechanism, a control mechanism for the motor,.means mounted on the manual driving meansfor operating the control mechanism, a handle for said voperating means, and a spring-pressed toggle lever forming a readily separable connection between said handle and the manual dri/ving,I

means.

3. In a dirigille` vehicle, the combination of a steering axle, angling mechanism therefor, a manual driving means, a power driving means, each adapted to operate the'angling mechanism, means for controlling thefpowerdrivlng means, an operators handleI for moving '.sald controllmg means, said;

`handle being disposed at a point distant from the angling mechanism, operative coni nections between the manual .driving means 'f and the said controlling means, and means 7 adjacent the operators handle, constituting a readily separable connection between saidl handle and the manual driving means, f Whereby vthe handle can at will be moved to either manual-ly drive the, angling mecha-. nism or to control the power driving neans. v

4. Ina traction engine, the combinatin' of a isteering 'axle, at the front end ofv the engine, angling mechanism for the axle ad- Jjacent thereto, power mea/ns adapted to drive the angling mechanism, means for controlling the said power driving means, -a manual f driving 'means for the ,angling mechanism, comprising. a -notary 4shaft geared thereto .and

extending to the rear means for operating e said contro ling means comprising, a sleeve surrounding the said rotary shaft and having a threaded connection therewith, an operators handle on the rea-r end of said sleeve, and means adjacent said handle constituting a separable lconnection between the handle and the ro-l tary shaft, whereby the handle, can at will be moved to either manually drive the driving means.

5. In a steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination of angling mechanism, apower ldriving mea-ns for. said mechanism, controlling mechanism for said driving means, 'a rotary shaft geared to the angling mechanism, a sleeve mounted on. saidshaft -to rotate therewith or relatively thereto,

means for moving the sleeve axially when rotated relativeto the shaft, a handle disposed at a distance from the, angling mechanism for turning said sleeve, operative connections between the2 sleeve and the said controlling mechanism, and means adjacent said handle for lookin 7 the sleeve against rotation relative to the s aft.

6. In a steering-gear for vehicles and the like, the combination of angling mechanism, am0tor for driving said mechanism, oont-rolling mechanism for said motor, af rotary shaft geared to vthe angling mechanism, aI sleeve surrounding saidv shaft and .having a screw-threaded connection therewith, operative connections between the sleeve and the motor controlling mechanism, a handle secured to the sleeve, and clutch mechanism between'the handle and rotary shaft.

7. In a steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination of angling mechanism comprising a vrotatable screw and a nut thereon, a motor geared to said screw, conpart of the en e,` t

vangling mechanism or to-control the power trol mechanism for said motor, fa" rotary `shaft vgeared to said screw, a sleeve surrounding said shaft and having Aa screwthreaded connection therewith, operative` connections between the "sleeve and the-motor controllin-g mechanism, andmeans for rotating the sleeve..

8. In a steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination lof angling mechanism comprising' a rotatable screw and a nut thereon, a motor geared to said screw, controlling mechanism for said motor, a rotary shaft geared lto said screw, a` sleeve 'surrounding said shaft and havinga screwthreaded connection therewith,A operative connections between the sleeve and the' motor controlling mechanism, a, handle secured/ lto the sleeve and clutch-mechanism' between'4 the handle/'and rotary shaft.

" 9. In a steering gear for vehicles and the like',P the combination ofr -anglin mechanism,

a motor for driving said mec lanism, centrollrng'mechanism or said motor, .a rotary shaft geared to the anglin -mechanis'm, a sleeve surrounding said sha t and having a screw-threaded connection therewith, operative connections between the sleeve and the motor controlling mechanism, a hand-Wheel l rigidly secured to the sleeve, and a clutch detrolling mechanism, and means for turning,

the sleeve.

11. In a steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination with angling mechanism comprising a rotatable screw and a nut thereon adapted to be moved axially by rotation of the screw, of a motor geared to one end of said screw to drive -the same, and manual driving mechanism geared to the other end of the screw.

12. In a steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination with angling'` mechanism comprisinga rotatable screw and a nut thereon adapted to be moved axially by rotation of the screw, of a motor geared to one end of the screw to drive the same, a clutch device between the motor and screw, and manual drivingmechanism geared to the other end of the screw.

13. In a steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination with angling mechanism comprising a rotatable screw and a nut thereon adapted to -be moved'aXially by the rotation of the screw, of a motor geared to one end of the screw to drive the same, a manually operable rotatable shaft geared' to the other end 'of the screw, controlling mechanism for the motor, means for operating said controlling mechanism comprising a sleeve surrounding the rotatable shaft, a handle mounted on the sleeve, and clutch mechanism between said handle and the rotatable shaft.

14. In a steam driven traction engine, the

combination with the steering axle and angling mechanism therefor, of an auxiliary I'steam engine to operate the angling mechanism, a link valve gear adapted to start, stop and reverse saidv engine, a rotatable shaft v geared to the angling mechanism and adapted to operate the same, a sleeve surrounding said shaft and having a screw-threaded engagement therewith, connections between -thesleeve and the said valve gear, manual meansfor vturning the sleeve,l and clutch mechanism between said'sleeve and shaft.

15. In a steering gear for vehicles and the to said rounding said shaft, a grooved nut rigid ,said rotatableshaft, a strap engaging like, the combination of angling mechanism, power actuated means for driving "said mechanism, controlling mechanism for said power-actuated means, a rotary shaft geared to the angling mechanism, a sleeve surrounding `said shaft and having a screw threaded connection therewith, operative connections between the sleeve and said controlling mechanism, a handle mounted on -the sleeve, -and clutch mechanism between the handle and rotary shaft.

16. In a steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination ofangling mechanism'comprising a rotatable screw and a nut thereon, power.. driving means geared to said screw,- control mechanism for said power driving means, a rotaryl shaft geared to said screw, a sleeve lsurrounding said shaft and hav-ing a screw-threaded connection therewith, operative connections be- -tween the sleeve and the said control mechanism, and means for rotating the sleeve.

17. Ina steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination of angling mechanism comprising a rotatable screw and a nut thereon, power driving means geared to said screw, control mechanism for the power driving means, a rotary shaft geared to said screw, a sleeve surrounding said shaft.

and having a screw threaded connection therewith, operative connections between the sleeve and the said controlling mechanism, a handle secured to the sleeve, and clutch mechanism between the handle and rotary shaft.

18. In. a steering gear for vehicles and the like, the combination of angling mechanism, power-actuated means for driving said mechanism, controlling mechanism for.

said power-actuated' means, a rotary shaft geared to the angling mechanism, a sleeve surrounding said shaft and having a screwthreaded connection therewith, operative connections between the sleeve and thev said controlling mechanism, a handu wheel rigidly secured to thesleeve, and a clutch device on the hand wheel adapted to connect the latter to the rotary shaft.

19. Ina steering gear for"vehicles and the like, the combination of anglingmechanism, power-actuated means for driving said mechanism, controlling mechanism for said power-actuated means, a rotary shaft geared y angling mechanism, a sleeve surw-ith the sleeve and engagingy threads of this t e groove of said nut, connections between said strap and said contrdlling mechanism', and means for turning the sleeve. 20. In a tracti engine. the combination with the steering a'Xle and angling mechanism therefor comprising a rotary shaft arranged transversely of the machine, of a motor gearedto one end of said transverse shaft to drive the same, and manual driving means geared to the other end of the sald transverse shaft.

21. In a tractionvengine, the combination with the steering gear and angling mechanism therefor comprising a rot-ary shaft arranged transversely .of thel machine, of a motor geared to one end of said transverse shaft to drive the same, a clutch device between the motor and the' transverse shaft, and manual driving means gearedl to the other end of the transverse shaft.

22. In a traction engine, the combination with the steering axle and angling mechanism therefor comprising a rotatable shaft arranged transversely of the machine, of a motor geared to one end of said transverse shaft to drive the same, a manual1yoperable rotatable shaft geared to the other end of said transverse shaft, controlling mechanism for the motor, means for operating said controllin sleeve surroun ing the manually operablei shaft, a handle mounted on the sleeve, and

mechanism comprising a clutch mechanism between said handle and the manually operable shaft.

23. In a traction en `ne, the combination of theengine frame t e steering axle supporting the front en of said frame, angling mechanism for said axle comprising a transverse shaft mounted on the front part of the engine frame, a motor geared to one end of the transverse shaft, a rotary Shaft geared to the other end of the transverse shaft, a sleeve threaded on said rotary shaft and extending to the rear end of the engine, an operators handle on the sleeve, a cont-rol mechanism for the motor, and connections between the control mechanism and said sleeve comprising a transverse rocker shaft mounted on the engine frame. n

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JoHN'B. BARTHoLoMEw..

Witnesses A. L. l:(Jrnreomr, l W. T. KINSELY. 

